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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

A couple of years ago I found two videos on YouTube posted by Sharon Schamber that demonstrated how to baste a large quilt using two boards on a table and a herringbone basting stitch. This method definitely beats crawling around the floor on my hand and knees...

The quilt “sandwich” consists of the backing fabric, batting (I am using Warm & Natural Cotton Batting), and the quilt top. First, I cut the backing and batting 4″ longer and wider than the quilt top. Then I basted the layers together, using thread and the herringbone stitch (which will be removed during the quilting process). The main challenge was to keep all the layers flat, without them shifting or wrinkling.

Before I started loading the boards I starched the hell out of my backing fabric and the quilt top. Then the blue backing fabric was smoothed out on top of the tables so that it was very flat with the wrong side facing up,(I did the same process to the quilt top except the right side was facing up), I then used painter’s tape, to tape the top edge of the backing fabric to the board, then I carefully rolled the backing fabric onto one board and the quilt top onto the other board. Making sure I keep the fabrics square.

I arrange the batting on top of the backing, patting it smooth as I went. I was very careful not to tug or twist the batting between the two boards. Then I centre the quilt top rolled onto the second board, right side up, on top of the batting and backing. I unrolled about a half metre from both boards, checking to make sure that both the backing and batting extend 4" past the quilt top on all sides. Starting at the bottom, using the herringbone stitch I basted the three layers together with a needle and thread. The herringbone stitches were placed every 3″ or where they don’t interfere with my quilting plan and stencil design.

Important note: I used a packaged batting that had been folded and creased, so I had to take it out of the package the day before and spread it out to let the creases loosen up and relax before I started putting the sandwich together.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

I have been making progress on my sons "Insanity quilt", as you can see I have finished sewing a verity of black and grey hexagons together for the final hexagon border. Then I have appliqued the final border in place.

I decided on a 6½ black border, I used a quilting stencil to trace the Cable Border design onto the quilt top prior to quilting. This 3¼ (8.2cm) stencil has grooves cut into the plastic which forms the diamond designs and cable patterns. The grooves were traced with a "Clover" White Marking Pen to create lines on the black fabric border, they will show me where to stitching once I have sandwiched the quilt top together.

I didn't have a stencil for the corner, below is the design I came up with...

About Me

Hi, I live in Western Australia I am married with two grown sons and six grandchildren and my two daughter-in-laws are wonderful. I love all forms of patchwork and quilting from scrap quilts, hand and machine-piecing, to foundation-piecing and fusible applique.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. If you have a question regarding my post, I will try to respond to it in the comments section of that post or via email.